This invention relates to exploding boxes, and more particularly to exploding boxes which are used to startle unsuspecting persons who open such boxes.
Exploding boxes or tubes have been produced in the past for the purpose of startling or surprising the user. For example, a simple jack-in-the-box is a form of exploding box, where a crank mechanism releases a lid allowing a spring- loaded puppet surprisingly to emerge from the box. A difficulty with the common jack-in-the-box, however, is that the crank mechanism makes the nature of the box recognizable and gives away much of the surprise.
Another type of exploding box is a cylindrical tube with a screwed on lid having an expandable, spring-loaded, cylindrical member located inside. When the lid is screwed off, the spring-loaded inner member jumps out surprising the person removing the lid. A difficulty with this type of device is that it is so well known that it is very difficult to startle anyone who is handed the device to open.
There are other types of devices available that spring open to surprise or startle the user. One example of such devices is shown in J. V. Zaruba U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,633 issued for an exploding box which is decorated to resemble a washing machine. When articles are forced into the box from the top, they push downwards against a bottom. When the bottom is pushed down sufficiently, hinged sides of the box are concurrently lowered relative to a downturned flange on the top of the box which holds them in an upright position. When the sides are sufficiently lowered, they are released from the flange on the top of the box. The sides spring outwards spewing out the contents of the box.
Another such device is shown in U.K. patent No. 2,012,601 issued to A. E. Goldfarb et al which shows a game having a pyramid which has hinged sides that are held in an upright position by a top. The sides are pivotally attached to the bottom of the pyramid. A balloon located within the pyramid is inflated by a pump. At a threshold pressure the top lifts off and the sides of the pyramid spring outward. The top then falls. The motion is limited to the pivotal outward swing of the sides and the toppling of the top.
The problem with the prior art devices shown in Zaruba and Goldfarb is that the sudden movement is too limited to startle most unsuspecting users.